Professor Blasi Quoted by L.A. Times on New L.A.P.D. Policy: ‘Show Compassion and Empathy’ to L.A. Homeless

June 22, 2016—Professor Gary Blasi was quoted by the Los Angeles Times, Times-Picayune, and various other news outlets on a new Los Angeles Police Department policy requiring its officers to show ‘compassion and empathy’ to homeless people living in L.A. The policy was enacted as part of a larger effort by LAPD to encourage officers to rethink their interactions with and approaches to homeless people. Professor Blasi questions how great of an impact this policy will make on the LAPD’s relationship with the homeless community, which can be tense.

“The policy is probably too generic to have much effect,” said Professor Blasi, “It … will enable the city to say that it has a humane policy while doing nothing concrete to make police actions more humane.”